Chapter 27
Marianna rolled over and stared up at the ceiling, releasing a heavy breath. It was well past noon and she felt…nothing. The anger was gone and all she felt now was an odd sort of numbness.
What was she doing? She snuck out of this place every damn night and for what purpose? She hated the music at those clubs. The men she met were mighty fine, but they were all boring. The drinks were watered down and tasteless.
So, what was the point? This wasn’t who she was! Marianna loved school and learning. She’d been at the top of her class in Paris, eagerly anticipating her university days. She’d had goals and dreams. She’d wanted to become someone! She wanted to change the world!
Rolling onto her side, Marianna hugged a pillow to her chest. She missed her friends and her mother desperately. This country was so different from France and she ached for…what? What did she want?
Maybe it was time to change her ways, get back to finding something more important to do other than just…rebelling against her obnoxious, overly muscular brothers who didn’t even seem to know that she was sneaking out every night.
She heard a knock on the door but ignored it. She didn’t want to talk to anyone. Marianna just wanted to be alone and…? What? What did she want to do? She felt so listless. So goal-less. She had no path, no direction to her life anymore.
And she missed her mother so terribly!
“Marianna?” a soft, feminine voice called out. She recognized the voice. It was that woman, her oldest brother’s secretary or…Tasha. The woman seemed to be more than just a secretary or assistant though. The few times Marianna had spoken to Tasha, the woman had seemed like she was the one in power instead of her brother.
For that reason only, Marianna liked her.
There was another knock on the door, but she ignored it again. A moment later, the door opened.